(Minghui.org) Practitioners in the Washington D.C. area participated in Labor Day parades in two cities in Maryland, on September 2, 2024. Maryland state legislators, Montgomery County legislators, and local residents thanked practitioners for introducing Falun Dafa and bringing the message of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance to their communities.
The 86th Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade was held at 10 a.m. on September 2 in Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, Maryland. This parade is one of the city’s oldest traditions, and the route was more than 1.5 miles long. The practitioners’ entry included a float and waist drum team. They demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises on the float, and some spectators clapped in time to the music as the waist drum team performed Falun Dafa Is Good. The banners with the words “Falun Dafa” and “The World Needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” in Chinese and English were welcomed by people along the route, and they accepted the flyers practitioners distributed.
Practitioners participated in the Gaithersburg Annual Labor Day Parade on September 2, 2024.
Practitioners demonstrate the exercises on the float.
The waist drum team performs in the parade.
Practitioners with the banner worded “The World Needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” pass the parade rostrum.
The moderator for this year’s Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade was Larry Miller, a news anchor for WUSA 9-TV in Washington, D.C., who’s won multiple Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Awards. Miller introduced Falun Dafa as practitioners passed the rostrum.
Group photo of practitioners and Miss Bethesda.
People accept fliers about Falun Dafa.
Maryland State Delegate: Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Is Important
Neil Parrott, Maryland State Delegate, took a group photo with practitioners before the parade.
Maryland State Delegate Neil Parrott attended the parade. He has served three terms as a Maryland State Delegate and is currently running for the U.S. House of Representatives. He knew Falun Dafa and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution in China. Before the parade began, Delegate Parrott took a group photo with practitioners and said Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is important. He said the CCP’s persecution must end and he supported practitioners in standing up to defend human rights around the world.
Montgomery County Council Member Shocked by the Persecution
Sidney Katz, Montgomery County Council Member and former mayor of Gaithersburg, has a group photo with practitioners.
Mr. Sidney Katz, a member of the Montgomery County Council and former mayor of Gaithersburg for 16 years, talked with practitioners before the parade. One of the practitioners was illegally arrested five times, sentenced to ten years in prison, and tortured. Another practitioner was illegally sentenced to three and a half years in prison, his company assets were confiscated, his employees were laid off, and he was forced to live in exile.
When he learned that they suffered persecution in China because they refused to give up practicing Falun Dafa, Council member Katz was shocked and said, “I feel sad for everything you’ve experienced, and I’m glad you are here.”
He took the truth-clarification materials and said repeatedly, “[Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance] is a great message.”
Producer Wants to Make a Documentary about Forced Organ Harvesting
TV producer Stacy Goldstein holds a Falun Dafa flyer.
TV producer Stacy Goldstein watched the parade and said it was the first time she heard about Falun Dafa. She asked a practitioner about the spiritual practice.
She explained that she was a producer for the Discovery Channel and an assistant producer for Fox News. When she learned that practitioners in China were persecuted by the CCP for refusing to give up their beliefs and that the CCP conducted forced organ harvesting from living practitioners, she said, “I want to make a TV show to tell this story.”
Gaithersburg Resident: We Need Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
Natalia wishes to learn more about Falun Dafa.
Natalia, a resident of Gaithersburg, said she had previously heard of Falun Dafa, but this was the first time she met practitioners. She said, “They look very friendly, peaceful, and calm. When you see them, you want to learn more about [Falun Dafa].” When she saw the banner with the words, “The World Needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” Natalia said, “It brings peace and balance to people. Sometimes people may feel stressed, etc., and they [Falun Dafa practitioners] bring peace and balance.”
Lynn accepts a Falun Dafa flyer.
Lynn watched the parade with her husband and daughter. Lynn said this was the first time her family heard of Falun Dafa. She took a flyer from a practitioner and said, “That’s great. I want to learn more about Falun Dafa.”
Pat (first left) and Brenda Diaz (first right), who are concerned about education in Montgomery County, learned about Falun Dafa.
Brenda Diaz and Pat, who are concerned about education in Montgomery County, talked with a practitioner. They agree with Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Diaz said, “That’s great. This is something we need to pay attention to.” Pat said, “We need it. We really need it. We value this community.”
Guy Federico, who works in television, saw practitioners at the end of the parade. He used his mobile phone to take pictures of their float and said, “They are great. They are a group of peaceful people, just like the sign on the float says, Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. They want to bring a better world, a better China, a free China.”
Federico said that he visited Beijing, Chongqing, and other Chinese cities, and he felt the Chinese people were busy making money and did not pay attention to other things. “When I was in China, I found that everything was about making money, but there was no freedom, no freedom of belief. Most people aren’t happy.”
Group photo of practitioners who participated in the parade in Gaithersburg.
At 10 a.m. that day, a Labor Day parade was also held in Kensington, Maryland, which is adjacent to the U.S. Capital, Washington D.C. Practitioners participated in the parade, bringing the message of Falun Dafa’s values, Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, to local residents.
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